Genetics

What to Think About

Before making a decision about
testing, you should clearly understand how the results of the test may affect
your life. Consider how the test results may influence your decisions. If
testing will not change any of your decisions, you may feel the test is not
worth doing.

Fetal genetic testing may detect a serious
disease or disorder, such as
Down syndrome, that will greatly impact your child's
life and the lives of caregivers. A pregnant woman who is considering genetic
testing may want to consider her ethical, social, and religious beliefs to help
her determine the actions she would take if test results show a genetic
disease.

A genetic test result is sensitive information. Your
confidentiality should be maintained, and the release
of information should be limited to those who are authorized to receive
it.

Genetic testing can sometimes reveal unintended information,
such as the identity of a child's father (paternity).

The discovery of a genetic disease may affect your future ability
to get work or some types of private insurance coverage. The discovery of a genetic disease that is not causing symptoms now (such as breastcancer or Huntington's disease) should not affect your future ability to gain employment or health insurance coverage. A law in the United States, called the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), protects people who have DNA differences that may affect their health. This law does not cover life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance.